Enduring Tragedy
by Klutzygirl33
Summary: AU future fic. When Robin and Barney's daughter is stillborn, it sends their relationship into a tailspin from which they may not recover. Barney/Robin, Marshall/Lily, Ted/Wife


**Disclaimer:** I don't own How I Met Your Mother and never will. No copyright infringement intended.

**Author's Note**: I first started this fic almost a year ago, and then forgot about it until tonight. I had writer's block before, but got over it. I just can't get this idea out of my head. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Only three days earlier, Robin Scherbatsky and Barney Stinson had been excited and scared about becoming parents to a little girl. They even had her name picked out. She was named Laura Amelia Scherbatsky-Stinson.

Now they were about to leave the hospital, but without their daughter. Neither Barney nor Robin knew how they were supposed to deal with this fact, as they had been trying to ignore the issue for the past few days. It hurt them both deeply, however.

"I locked the nursery door," Lily explained to Marshall, Ted, James, and Tom before Barney and Robin returned home. James and Tom had dropped off four year old Sam with Tom's sister because they felt that the little boy didn't need to be there. Lily and Marshall were letting Heather baby-sit their kids - three year old Henry, twenty-five month old Katherine and fourteen month old Nora while they visited Barney and Robin.

"That's probably a good idea," James replied. He was really worried about his brother and his girlfriend. Barney didn't do well with grief. When their mother died, he had retreated into himself and wouldn't leave Ted's apartment for days. It had only been Robin and Tom who could actually get him to leave.

"How are we supposed to help them?" Ted asked. Maura, his fiancé and soon to be wife, had started baking sweets and other food non-stop. She claimed she didn't want Barney and Robin work when they were dealing with their grief from Laura's stillbirth.

"We just need to be there for them," Lily suggested. She didn't know what she would have done or reacted if Henry, Katherine or Nora had been stillborn. During her pregnancies, she had dreamt about miscarrying. It had just been fear overtaking, though.

"Should we talk about the baby or not?" questioned Marshall. He knew that his two best friends needed to grieve, but talking about Laura might hurt them too much.

"We'll talk about the baby if they bring her up." Ted was sure that that was the best plan. He didn't want to hurt his bro and ex-girlfriend anymore than they already were. He really hoped that they could have another baby someday, but he doubted it. This pregnancy had been a surprise to begin with, and Barney and Robin had repeatedly told them that Laura was going to be their only baby.

The door opened, and Lily felt her heart start to beat faster. She wasn't sure what to say to Barney and Robin. She had been planning on saying "Welcome home, Laura and Robin." for months, but that plan was out completely. Luckily for Lily, it was only Maura.

"I'm so glad it's you," Tom confessed. Lily was just glad she didn't have to say that, but it was true. Tom's older sister had suffered a miscarriage two years earlier, but had no idea how to help Barney and Robin. Their situation was a little different.

"Thanks, Tom." Maura was confused. Why was Tom glad that it was her? Oh, well. She had tons of food in the car, and was going to go home and make some more.

"You need Marshall and me to get anything?" Ted asked. He knew that she had baked a lot more food that what was in her arms. When Maura nodded, Marshall and Ted bolted out of the apartment.

"I think we need to clean up," Maura decided. The apartment was completely messed up, and that needed fixed. Barney and Robin deserved to come home to a home in which they didn't have to do anything right now.

James exchanged a confused look with Lily. "It's already cleaned up, Maura." After coming to New York for the birth of their niece, he and Tom had decided to stay with Barney and Robin. Now they were staying for the funeral, which was going to occur tomorrow. James and Tom had been planning on staying for two weeks to help out with the baby, and that wasn't about to change. Now they were staying to help with the grieving process.

"It needs cleaned up more," Maura explained. Cleaning and cooking were her ways of dealing with stress. Laura's stillbirth had stressed her out, and she wasn't ready to grieve yet.

"Go ahead," Lily encouraged. She was thrilled to see Feely The Share Bear in the kitchen, and grabbed the stuffed animal in case Barney or Robin needed him. Lily knew how much Barney loved Feely. The bear had gotten him through the time he and Robin temporarily broke up.

"What did you just do?" asked Tom. He didn't know Maura all that well, but he knew that sending her on a cleaning spree was probably not a good idea. Avoiding stuff like this usually ended badly.

"I have no clue," Lily admitted. She was a little scared herself. Lily was worried about her babies and Barney and Robin, too. Would she and Marshall ever be able to bring Henry, Katherine and Nora around again? Maybe she was overreacting too, and worrying a little bit too.

"When are they coming home?" asked Ted. He and Marshall had just re-entered the apartment with boxes of food, but there were still some more in the car.

"The doctor wanted to check Robin out again before discharging her. I think they'll be here soon," explained Tom. He hoped that his brother-in-law and sister-in-law avoided the nursery as much as possible. Along with James, he had decided that Sam was going to be watched by other people while Robin was home. Barney was planning on going back to work after the funeral, which everyone thought was a mistake. They thought it might be too soon to throw himself into the job.

"We're going to need to cheer them up somehow. Maybe we can go down to MacLaren's soon?" Marshall wasn't sure if their favorite bar would cheer his friends up, but it was worth a shot.

"Do you think they'll even want to go?" Ted sincerely doubted that they'd feel like going to a bar, even their normal one.

"Should we even be here right now?" Lily wondered. Surprising them was probably a bad idea, especially since they weren't bringing a baby back with them.

"I talked to Barney last night, when Robin was asleep. He said it was okay," James replied. He refused to mention the fact that a hysterical Robin had to be sedated and that's why she had been asleep.

XXXXXXX

When Robin and Barney finally came home, Maura had finished cleaning and was cooking lasagna in the oven. Everyone else was watching TV just to pass time.

"Hi, sweetie. How are you?" Lily asked Robin. She wanted to comfort her best friend, but wasn't sure how. Lily just hoped she was able to help.

"I'm fine," Robin lied. She didn't want to tell everyone she just wanted to go to bed and never come out of the room. If Robin said that, then her friends would never leave her and Barney alone. She desperately wanted James, Tom, and Sam to go home after the funeral, but that wasn't about to happen. They were staying for another week and a half.

"We just need to wait until tomorrow and everything will be fine," Barney explained. Deep down, he knew that nothing would ever be the same again. His daughter was dead. She had never even gotten the chance to live. How were he and Robin supposed to deal with that?

"He's in denial," Ted muttered underneath his breath. Only James and Tom heard him, and both agreed. Barney didn't seem to be grieving for Laura at all, unlike Robin. Her eyes were red, and it was clear she had been crying for awhile.

"You probably shouldn't stay for long," Barney declared. He wanted to be alone with Robin, but that wasn't about to happen with James, Tom, and Sam staying. With Ted, Maura, Marshall, and Lily gone, there would be a lot less people in the apartment, trying to bug them about grief.

"We just wanted to tell you that we're glad you're home," Maura told Barney and Robin. She wanted to go back to Ted's apartment and bake some more. They needed a whole lot more food than what she had given them.

"I love you both," Lily said. She hugged Barney and Robin, and then left with Marshall. They went to go pick up their kids. Lily and Marshall both wanted to hug Henry, Katherine and Nora for the sheer fact that they were alive.

"Why don't we watch TV?" Barney was trying to be strong for Robin. That was important to him. How was he supposed to comfort her if he was falling apart himself? It didn't make any sense.

"Whatever," Robin agreed. She didn't really care about what was on TV, and she wasn't sure she ever would again. How was she supposed to get over Laura's stillbirth? She hadn't been looking forward to becoming a mother immediately after learning of her pregnancy, but Robin had eventually become excited. Was she being punished for not wanting a baby at first?

"We need to go pick up Sam, but we'll be back soon," James said. It was getting awkward, and getting away from the apartment was a good thing at the moment.

"Have fun," Barney murmured. He loved his nephew, but was sure that he would fall apart if he saw Sam. Sam (and Henry, Katherine and Nora) would just remind Barney of what he and Robin lost.

Tom and James exchanged a worried look and left. They would leave Barney and Robin alone about the baby until after the funeral.

Tomorrow was going to be an extremely long and exhausting day.

XXXXXXXX

Robin was up at 6:30 in the morning. She couldn't sleep. All she thought about was Laura, and the fact that her daughter wasn't alive. Barney blamed her. Robin had figured that out immediately after the shock had worn off. How could he not blame her? She was the one who had carried Laura inside of her for nine months. Laura had died inside her. It would always be her fault.

"Hey," Tom said. He had woken up an hour earlier and couldn't get back to sleep. Tom wondered why Robin was up so early.

"How are you doing?" Robin asked him. She was dreading today. How was she supposed to get through Laura's funeral? It was going to hurt too much. Maybe Robin would get drunk, so she wouldn't have to go through today.

"Okay. How are you?" questioned the concerned Tom. He and James had talked about helping Barney and Robin through this last night, but neither thought they could help. This was something that Barney and Robin had to get through on their own.

"I'm feeling great," Robin lied. She didn't want anyone to know how she was feeling. That was her business only. Barney didn't even deserve to know what her feelings were. He hated her and he had every reason in the world to feel that way.

Tom knew that she was lying, but let it go. Today was not a day to get into an argument with either Barney or Robin. "I think Sam is going to want to see Aunt Robin today."

Robin did smile at that. She loved Sam. The little boy was one of four kids she did like, the other three being Henry, Katherine, and Nora."That'll be nice, Tom."

"You want breakfast?" Tom wanted to make sure she ate. He didn't want Robin throwing up today from nerves. He had a feeling that she would have to be sedated again, however and that was not going to end well.

Robin shook her head. "I'm not hungry. I think I'm going to go get a shower now. See you later, Tom." She walked away and entered the bathroom. She started the water, and got into the shower.

James and Barney woke up an hour later. "Shouldn't we go soon?" asked Barney. He thought they should be at the cemetery soon. He and Robin had elected to just have a burial and not a memorial service, because there was really nothing to remember about Laura. It hurt to realize that they'd never gotten the chance to know their daughter.

"Relax. We don't have to go until 9:30," James replied. He could tell that his brother was panicking, and that wasn't a good thing to deal with.

"I need to get ready now," Barney explained. Robin was making him wear a suit today, something he resented. Wearing suits at funerals was forbidden. Didn't she understand that?

Robin rolled her eyes. "Stop whining, Barney. Just wear your suit and shut up about it." She didn't have time for Barney's stupid problems today. Her nerves were frayed, and she thought she might snap if something else happened.

Barney glared at his girlfriend. "You didn't mind when I wore a t-shirt and jeans to your father's funeral," he pointed out. Robin hated her father, but that was beside the point.

She sighed. "That's because I didn't care what happened at my father's funeral. This is our daughter, Barney. Why can't you be mature for once?" Robin really had no patience for anything. Didn't Barney understand that?

"I'm always mature, Scherbatsky," Barney snapped. What was Robin's problem? She usually didn't care about this kind of stuff. Robin was irritating him for some reason, today. He didn't understand why.

"Leave me alone!" Robin screamed. She ran into the bedroom and locked the door. She didn't want to deal with any of this today.

"Why can't she leave things go?" Barney asked. He knew that she was hurting, but so was he. Robin wasn't alone in her grief, something she obviously thought.

"We'll calm her down," James assured his brother. Barney and Robin would probably end up getting into another fight, and that wasn't something to do on a day like today. It was probably good of them to get all that energy out, however.

"Why are Aunt Robin and Uncle Barney fighting?" asked Sam. He knew that he was going somewhere important, but he didn't know where. His daddies had explained that his cousin had gone to Heaven, just like Grandma. He didn't understand why. Sam thought that only old people died, not babies.

"They're just not feeling well," Tom explained to his son. He hoped that Sam understood and not bother his aunt and uncle.

"Okay." Sam seemed to accept that. He went to sit on the couch and watch TV. Sam hoped there were cartoons on. The little boy didn't care about what was going on, even though he knew it was important.

XXXXXX

When James, Tom, Barney, and Barney arrived at the cemetery, everything had settled down. Robin had finally left the bedroom a half an hour earlier. The only reason she had left was because James and Tom used Sam as a weapon to get her out. Robin had then ranted and raving about not wanting to go the funeral, so Tom had sedated her with one of the pills that the doctor had prescribed just in case she needed them.

"Why does Robin look so calm?" Lily asked Ted and Maura. Marshall was talking to Robin's sister. Henry, Nora, and Katherine were with Heather again. This was not the place for them. Heather had wanted to come to the funeral to support Barney and Robin, but Ted had convinced her that she needed to take care of the kids.

"She's probably sedated." Maura could tell that something was off between Barney and Robin, but decided not to mention it. Now was not the time or the place. Besides, she needed to be strong for them.

"She is," James said, joining up with the group. He couldn't believe he was here. He and Tom were supposed to be making fun of Barney and Robin for lack of sleep by now, not attending a funeral.

"Why?" asked a confused Ted. He knew that Robin was hurting a lot right now, but sedating her seemed a little bit extreme.

"She and Barney had a huge fight this morning and Robin locked herself in the bedroom," James explained. He didn't really like that Robin was sedated, but Barney said it was important that she was so she didn't cause a scene at the funeral.

"I hope this doesn't tear them apart," Lily murmured. She was still worried about them. Neither expressed their emotions well. They never had, which made her even more worried than she already was.

"The next few months or even years are probably going to be really hard," Marshall commented. He was having a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that Barney and Robin's baby was dead. He and Lily had kept the kids in their bedroom last night. They were worried about all three of them now.

"We need to help them deal with day to day stuff around the apartment," Ted immediately declared. Robin had just decided she was going to back to work in two days, since Barney was going back to work tomorrow. It was too soon, but neither one seemed to care. They were determined to move on as soon as possible.

"We'll help with that stuff until we leave." James unhappily sighed. He was going to try and convince his brother and his girlfriend not to go to MacLaren's. They didn't need to get drunk right now. Or maybe they did, actually. Maybe getting drunk would help unleash the emotions they were locking up.

"Should I follow Robin to work?" questioned Lily. She was so glad that it was summer and she didn't have to go to school. This way, she could take care of her son and daughters, and help Robin through her grief.

"Won't she think that's weird?" Tom desperately wished that they didn't have to worry about Barney and Robin at all, but that wasn't meant to be.

Lily shrugged. "Robin has wanted me to visit the set for awhile, and I haven't had the chance because of school and taking care of Henry, Katherine, and Nora." She had no excuses about going this time around. Hopefully, Robin wouldn't be suspicious.

"The funeral is about to start," Barney told everyone, coming over to where they were. Robin was sitting in her seat and didn't seem to be reacting to anything. The sedative seemed to be working really well.

Everyone sat down and prepared for the worst.

XXXXXXXXX

The funeral was the saddest funeral everyone had been to, and that was saying something. Barney had become hysterical during the burial, and had to be sedated himself. James was just glad he had brought along an extra sedative for Robin.

"I never saw Barney like that before," Ted told Lily, Marshall, Maura, James, and Tom. Sam was playing with his toys in the guest bedroom.

"Barney getting hysterical was what me finally lose it," Lily confessed. She had been doing okay up until that point, and couldn't handle it after that.

Maura nodded in agreement. "I don't know how he and Robin are supposed to get through this, especially since Barney fell apart like he did." She hadn't known Ted and his group of friends for very long, but she liked all of them. This situation was hurting her too.

"Let's just hope for the best," Marshall replied. He wanted to try and remain positive, even if that didn't work. He didn't want to think of what bad things could happen if Barney and Robin couldn't handle Laura's stillbirth.

"I don't know you're thinking like you are, but I like it," Lily declared. She wasn't sure how the group was going to help, or even get through their own grief. Everyone seemed to be grieving for Laura in their own way.

"Funeral food is always so good." Everyone turned to stare at Ted. He had changed the subject to something off-topic and really weird. They didn't understand why.

"Where did that come from?" Maura couldn't believe her boyfriend had just said that. What was wrong with him?

"What? Funeral food is good. It always has been, for some reason. Just ignore me." Ted sighed. He had just said something really stupid, but at least Barney and Robin hadn't heard it.

"Never talk at a funeral again," Lily ordered. She couldn't believe how weird everyone was acting. It was understandable for Barney and Robin, but not anyone else.

"I can't help it," Ted admitted. He didn't know what to say. This was a very weird situation.

"Just don't mention Laura," suggested Maura. She wasn't sure if that would work since it was Laura's funeral, but it couldn't hurt.

Lily felt dizzy and swayed for a second. She righted herself and sat down on a chair. She just needed to be off of her feet for a second.

"Are you okay, Lilypad?" asked Marshall. He knew that she would be fine soon. Lily had experienced this before.

Lily nodded. "I just got dizzy for a second. I'm completely fine now," she assured her husband. She just wanted this day to be over.

Ted, Maura, Tom, and James exchanged a look. "Lily, are you pregnant again?" Ted asked her. He couldn't believe it.

"Should we tell them, Marshmallow?" Lily knew that this was not a good time for everyone to find out, but she and Marshall could hide her fourth pregnancy from Barney and Robin for a few more months.

Marshall nodded. "We can tell them. Lily is pregnant. She's three months along. We found out a few days before Laura's stillbirth, but figured we shouldn't tell anyone for awhile," he explained. As much as he and Lily were thrilled about her pregnancy, it was really bad timing.

"We're not telling Barney and Robin for a few more months," Lily added. She didn't want to hurt her friends. They didn't need to know her and Marshall's happy news when they were grieving for their little girl.

"How long do you think you can hide it from them?" Maura was really curious about that. Lily was probably going to start showing soon, and then it would be unavoidable telling Robin and Barney.

"We won't tell them for as long as possible," Lily explained. She didn't think this secret would last for very long, but she and Marshall would make it work until her fifth month. If they left it to her sixth month, that would not be good at all. She'd probably be really swollen by that point in time.

"Nora was eleven months old when you conceived this baby. Can't you two keep your hands off each other?" questioned a curious James. Lily and Marshall really didn't wait long to have babies.

"We can't. It's a curse or something. My sperm are powerful and keep managing to knock her up." Marshall loved his wife. He didn't mind that their family was expanding again.

Maura and Lily laughed despite themselves. Luckily, neither Barney nor Robin noticed the conversation. They were too busy talking to one of Barney's co-workers. Technically, Barney was talking to his co-worker. Robin didn't seem to be paying attention to anything.

"Henry and baby number four will be four years apart. Nora and baby number four will be twenty months apart. Katherine and baby number four will be thirty-one months apart. You guys are going to have such a hard time with four kids under the age of four," Ted observed. He wondered if his friends would be able to handle three toddlers and a newborn.

"We know. We don't care. Lily and I are actually more worried about Barney and Robin right now," Marshall told them. He and Lily would discuss her pregnancy later, when they were at home.

"That is true. Now is not a good time to reveal it," Maura said. She quickly shut up when Barney and Robin came over to see them.

"How are you guys doing?" Ted asked the two. He didn't want to deal with the fact that both looked like they were going to fall apart any minute now.

"We're okay," Barney lied. He didn't want to talk about it. He still hated the fact that he was here. He and Robin should be watching Laura sleep or taking care of her right now. This wasn't fair.

"Look at the pretty sky," said Robin. She was clearly out of it, and their friends knew that. The sedative had worn off, but Robin was still in a daze.

"It is pretty," agreed a confused Tom. He was glad that Sam wasn't currently here for this. He shouldn't be seeing his aunt and uncle like this.

"Sit down," Barney told his girlfriend. He helped her sit down on a chair next to Lily. A few seconds later, Barney sat down next to them.

"How are you feeling?" Maura asked Barney. She knew that he was probably tired of the question, but she didn't care. Barney and Robin were like her siblings.

Barney rolled his eyes. That was such a stupid question. How was he supposed to be feeling? Robin hated him and would probably kick him out soon. Barney knew it. "I'm dealing." That was the truth. He was dealing as best as he could.

A few hours later, everyone but the group left. They were helping Barney clean up. Robin had passed out on the couch half an hour earlier, and nobody had the heart to move her. "Go to bed, Barney." James didn't want his brother working like this. He didn't have to.

Barney sighed. He hated that everyone was telling him what to do. Why couldn't he do what he wanted? However, Barney was tired and emotionally drained. "Okay." He hightailed it towards his bedroom and fell asleep in less than ten minutes.

Two hours later, Ted, Maura, Marshall, and Lily headed home. They had helped out as much as they could. "Congratulations on the new baby, you two," Tom told Marshall and Lily before they left. Despite the fact that this was their fourth child, it was still exciting for the couple.

The next day, Barney was up at 5:30 for work. He hadn't been able to sleep that much, and he just wanted to get out of the apartment for a little while. "Bye, Robin." He kissed her and left.

Robin was up only a few minutes later. She didn't have to work yet, but hadn't been able to sleep again. She sat down on the couch to watch the news.

James, Tom, and Sam woke up around 7:00. The couple fed their little boy breakfast. Afterwards, James and Tom decided to keep Robin company. She didn't need to be alone. "What do you want for dinner? I'll reheat some leftovers." Tom was determined to help as much as they would allow him to.

When Barney returned home later, the apartment was dark. Tom and James had taken Sam over to Marshall and Lily's place so he could play with their kids. Robin was laying down on the couch, not doing anything. She had turned the TV off a little while earlier. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"None of your business!" she snapped. Robin didn't know what was wrong. She usually wasn't like this. She didn't want to drive Barney away.

Barney sighed angrily, but decided to let it go. She was hurting too. "Whatever. I'm going into our bedroom." Once there, he turned on the TV. There was nothing on, which especially irritated him. He wanted to complain to someone about the lack of anything good on television. Today had been horrible at work. Everyone had stopped by to offer their condolences on Laura. None of them knew what he was going through. Saying sorry meant nothing.

When Tom and James returned without Sam twenty minutes later, they immediately noticed how quiet it was. They were secretly glad that Sam had wanted to stay and play with the Eriksens overnight. The apartment reeked of grief. It seemed to cling to every wall. "You ready for work tomorrow, Robin?" Tom doubted she was, but it wasn't his place to say anything.

Robin nodded. "I can't wait to go back." That was a lie. She would rather stay home and cry, but Barney was absolutely determined to prove that he was over Laura's death by working. She could work too and prove to him that she was fine.

"Whatever you say." James didn't believe her, though. She and Barney were definitely hurting, and things would come to a head soon.

XXXXX

When James, Tom, and Sam left, things seemed to get worse for Barney and Robin. They both threw themselves into work even harder and tried to pretend that nothing was wrong. The nursery door still hadn't been opened. Neither one of them could go in there.

"I'm going to MacLaren's," Barney decided about a day after his brother, brother-in-law, and nephew left. They had kept him and Robin away from the bar, but now that they were gone, it didn't matter anymore.

Robin sighed angrily. "Go get drunk and have sex with another woman! I don't even care anymore!" She stalked off to the bedroom and slammed the door.

Barney stared at her in shock and hurt. He wasn't going to cheat on Robin. He loved her too much to cheat on her. However, Barney did want to get drunk. Really drunk. "Whatever!" He turned around and walked out of the apartment, slamming the door as he did so.

Ted, Marshall, and Maura watched in horror as Barney drank shot after shot. Lily was at home with the kids and had decided to forego the bar tonight. "Barney, I don't think you should drink so much," Ted told him. He was worried about Barney and Robin. They didn't seem to be handling their grief well. Now that their guests had left, it looks like things were even more tense.

"I can drink as much as I want. It doesn't matter anymore," a drunk Barney declared as he downed another shot.

Ted took him home that night. Robin was so angry about the fact that her boyfriend had gotten drunk that she had thrown something of his. Ted made sure that all breakable items were out of Robin's reach, and reluctantly left the couple alone.

Things were only going to get worse for Barney and Robin.

XXXXX

A month later, everything came to a head. For the first time in a long time, Robin decided to go into the nursery. The last time she had been in the room, she had been pregnant with Laura. She had been happier, but fearful of becoming a mom, then.

When Barney came home and found his girlfriend in the nursery, he freaked out. The big fight he and Robin had been avoiding for so long finally erupted. "You shouldn't be in here! It's not okay!" Barney screamed.

"It was my baby, too! I can be anywhere I want!" Robin yelled back. What right did Barney have to tell her that she couldn't be in the nursery?

"You need to get out of here! Close the door! I don't want you in here! This was Laura's room, and no one should ever be in the nursery!" Barney was aware that he was hysterical, but was past the point of caring.

"You didn't even want the baby in the first place! Shut up and stop telling me what to do!" Robin conveniently didn't say anything about the fact that she hadn't wanted Laura in the first place either, and had nearly aborted.

"Shut up! It's your fault Laura died! You carried her for nine months! She lived and died in you!" Barney regretted that almost as soon as he said it. He didn't blame her at all. He never had.

Robin slapped him across the face. "Get out! Get out! Get out! I never want to see your face again. I hate you!" She didn't actually hate Barney, but she was hurt and confused right now.

"Fine! I'm not coming back! You can have the apartment!" Barney didn't want to break up, but he had been hurting for weeks and couldn't take the pain anymore. He turned and ran from the apartment. He bolted towards Ted and Maura's apartment.

As soon as he left, Robin slid down the nursery wall and landed on the floor. She burst into sobs. "I didn't want you to leave me. I'm so sorry." Robin didn't know who she was talking about – Barney or Laura.

Robin stayed on the floor for hours, desperately hoping Barney would come back. She didn't get her wish and cried herself to sleep on the nursery floor.

Ted wasn't surprised when Barney bolted into the apartment with tears running down his face. He followed the crying man into the bathroom. Barney got into the bathtub and just started sobbing. "What's wrong?" asked a worried Ted.

"Everything," Barney sobbed. He didn't cry very often, but he had reached his breaking point. He couldn't handle Laura's death anymore.

Ted couldn't think of anything to do but to just be there for Barney. He rubbed the blond man's back and stayed with him for hours. When Barney actually fell asleep in the tub, Ted picked him up and put him in the bed. He covered him up and left Barney alone.

A few days later, Marshall and Ted went with Barney to pick up his stuff at the apartment. Robin was too numb to say anything as they took his things out. She refused to beg Barney to stay. He obviously didn't want to be with her anymore, or he wouldn't have left. "Take care of yourself, Scherbatsky," he whispered before finally leaving.

"You too," Robin replied. She once again sunk to the floor. However, she was too numb to cry again. She had cried herself out, and couldn't handle it anymore.

Barney and Robin had been torn apart by a tragedy, and nobody was sure if they could be put back together.

XXXXX

Two months later, Robin decided to pick herself up and move on. She still loved Barney, but wasn't sure if they could ever be together again. She was also still numb, but reluctantly decided to accept the offer of a date from a new co-worker. He knew nothing of her past, and that was just what Robin liked.

"So, have you been in any relationships recently?" asked Carl. He really liked Robin. She was nice. For some reason, everyone had warned him not to date her, though.

Robin tried not to cringe. "I just got out of a five year relationship." She missed Barney so much.

"Wow. Any kids?" If Carl had known the answer to the question, he never would have asked it.

Robin shook her head. She wished she could say yes, but Laura had been taken away from her. "No kids. Never been pregnant either," she lied. She didn't want to tell Carl about her past.

"Huh. That's interesting. I don't have any kids either. That's another thing we have in common."

"I'm sorry. I have to go. This just isn't working out." Robin wanted to be with Barney and not Carl. Carl wasn't what she wanted. She got up and prepared to leave the restaurant.

Carl stared at her confused as she walked out the door. He didn't understand what had just occurred. Had he done something wrong?

Robin decided that another relationship was out of the question after the failed date. Barney was the only one for her, and she had lost him.

That's when she decided to leave New York for awhile, and go back to Canada. Her mother would know what to do.

The difficult part would be telling the group.

XXXXXXX

Barney tried to sleep with random girls at MacLaren's after the break-up, but he struck out every time. The group was really worried about him. Robin, too. She had asked them to break it to him that she was temporarily going back to Canada. Lily was terrified that it would be permanent, and begged her to stay. She even announced her fourth pregnancy to convince her best friend that she needed her. Robin refused to budge, however.

"What do you guys want?" Barney asked as he struck out with yet another girl and returned to the booth.

Ted, Marshall, Lily, and Maura exchanged panicked looks. Maura decided to take the plunge and say it. "Robin's going back to Canada. She doesn't want to be here anymore." She decided not to say anything about how it was likely temporary. Maura wanted Barney and Robin back together. They were soul mates. Laura's death shouldn't have torn them apart.

Barney spit out the drink he was having. "What? Why is she leaving?" He still wished they could get back together, and now that hope was fading.

"She wouldn't tell us," Lily told him. She and Maura were the only two who knew the truth about why Robin was going back to Canada. They had been sworn to secrecy, and this was one secret that Lily refused to divulge.

"When is she leaving?" Barney couldn't handle it if she actually left for good. He loved her so much. Living without her hurt so much.

"Her flight leaves at 1:00 in the morning." Ted checked his watch. It was 9:00. Barney could still see Robin if he wanted to.

Barney got out of his seat and took off. His friends followed him, hoping that something good would finally happen.

Robin was shocked when the door opened and Barney stepped through. She was doing some last minute packing. She honestly hadn't expected Barney to show up. "What are you doing here, Barney?"

"I came here to stop you from leaving. I love you, Robin Charles Scherbatsky Junior. That will never change. Laura dying hurt me more than I ever thought possible, and pushing you away seemed like the logical choice. I never blamed you for Laura's stillbirth. These things happen sometimes, and you don't know why. I didn't want to break up either. The pain was just too much to handle. Don't go to Canada. Stay. I promise you we can work through this. We can talk. I promise you that." Barney wasn't much for romantic speeches, but he couldn't let Robin leave.

Robin just stared at him. She couldn't believe he had just said all of that. "I love you too, Barney. Laura's stillbirth killed me. I've never been that hurt in my life. This is our home. Coming home and facing that nursery everyday hurt was too much to handle. Going to Canada was only a temporary thing. It's not going to be permanent." At least she didn't think it was going to be. Especially now that Barney had showed up at their door.

"What do you say, Baby? Can we work past this and get back together?" Barney wasn't about to give up hope. He loved Robin too much to give up on her.

Robin thought about it for only five seconds and then smiled. "We can definitely work through this, Barney. We have a lot of issues and a lot of things to talk about when I get back, though."

"You're still going to Canada?" Barney didn't know why he was so surprised. Robin had always been stubborn.

Robin nodded. "My mom and sister really want to see me. They're still sad they couldn't make it down for the funeral. I haven't seen them in awhile. And I just need to get away for a few weeks. That doesn't mean I want to get away from you. We have so much to talk about."

Barney smiled at her. "I can live with that." He wouldn't bother her in Canada. They could definitely talk when she returned home. They had all the time in the world. He leaned over and kissed her.

Robin melted and kissed him back. Before they knew it, the recently reunited couple was making out. "You want to take me to the airport?"

"Sure." Barney grabbed her suitcases. He would miss her when she was gone, but that was okay. He knew she'd miss him too.

"Thank you." Robin couldn't stop smiling the entire way to the airport. She had never expected something to go her way again after Laura's stillbirth. She actually felt happy for the first time in months.

"I'll miss you. Have fun on vacation." Barney leaned down and kissed her again. He and Robin would probably never be the same again. Laura's stillbirth had changed them both, but they could definitely address the changes and move on.

"I will," Robin replied when they pulled apart. She had hope for the first time in a long time. It was definitely nice.

Barney watched as Robin walked into the airport. He already missed her, and couldn't wait until she returned. Barney returned to MacLaren's. His friends were staring at him.

"What happened?" asked Marshall. He needed to know everything now. This secrecy was driving him crazy.

Barney couldn't handle not saying anything. "We talked a little bit and got back together. She's going to Canada still, but it's only temporary. We'll talk more once she comes home. But I think everything will be okay."

Maura squealed happily. She was so thrilled that Barney and Robin had worked things out a little bit to at least talk. "I'm so happy," she cried excitedly. Maura didn't understand why she was actually crying, but decided that didn't matter.

"Lily is going to burst my eardrums with excitement," Marshall said. He hugged Barney on the way out of the bar.

"You two just made me really happy," Ted informed Barney, herding Maura away from the bar. He was tired and wanted to go home himself. He had been hoping they'd get back together.

XXXXX

Robin returned from Canada three weeks later. She was a little happier than she had been when she left.

Barney and Robin actually sat down and had a long talk about their issues a few days after she returned. They agreed that they had let their grief overtake them and ruin their relationship.

They even had the kid talk, even though it hurt. The couple agreed that they wouldn't mind if they had a baby, but it'd be okay if they didn't.

Robin never got pregnant again, and the couple were happy being aunt and uncle to the Mosby and Eriksen kids. They didn't mind not having kids.

Lily was eight months pregnant at Ted and Maura's wedding. A month later, she gave birth to a daughter named Kathleen Laura Eriksen.

Marshall and Lily decided four kids were enough, so Kathleen was their final child. They didn't mind their large family.

Seven months after the wedding, Ted and Maura welcomed a son named Caleb Thomas Mosby.

Caleb's sister Alyssa Amelia Mosby was born only two years later.

In 2030, Ted started telling Caleb and Alyssa about how he had met their mother. He debated for a long time about whether to tell the kids about Laura Scherbatsky-Stinson's stillbirth, but eventually decided to tell them.

It had been an extremely rough time in Barney and Robin's life, but they had eventually persevered and got through it.

Laura Amelia Scherbatsky-Stinson was always remembered on the day she was born and died. Although it still hurt to talk about, Barney and Robin refused to shy away from the subject. They answered all the questions that the Mosby and Eriksen kids had for them.

Everything was okay between the couple. They had fights sometimes, but never big ones. They always worked through their fights, since not talking led to horrible things.

Barney and Robin had endured tragedy, and nothing would ever tear them apart again.


End file.
